Mendham

Blomefield (1805-1810) writes: "Mendham parish church is dedicated to All the Saints, and was originally a rectory [...] Mendham church is a good building, with a square tower and five bells; having its nave, two isles, and south porch leaded, and chancel tiled. [...] The account of this church in Norwich Domesday is thus; the Prior of the Holy Trinity of Ipswich hath the moiety of the church of Mendham, appropriated to his convent, and hath a house and two carucates of land, and receives the tithes of the demeans of Sir Thomas de Nedham; this was valued formerly at 15 marks." Blomefield (ibid.) names "Henry de Diss" as first-recorded vicar here, in 1228. [NB: we are not entirely clear about a priory that existed near the mother church at Mendham [cf. infra], and a chapel dedicated to St. Peter in the hamlet of Nedham [cf. Index entry under Nedham. It is not clear what the role of the priory at Mendham]. The entry for Mendham in Kelly's Directory of 1865 notes: "Near the church, on the Suffolk side of the river, was a priory, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, founded by William, son of Roger de Huntingfield, during the reign of King Stephen; a portion of its ruins is still visible." White's Directory of 1844 (p. 466) provides more information on this priory at Mendham: "Near the church, in the Suffolk part of the parish, was a Cluniac Priory, founded by William, son of Roger de Huntingfield, in the reign of King Stephen, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, and subordinate to Castle Acre Priory, in Norfolk. It was granted, at the dissolution, to Richard Freston and Ann, his wife, and some remains of it may still be traced in a farm house standing on its site." White's Directory of 1883 reports only "vestiges of a Priory" here. [NB: we have no information on the font from the original church of All Saints at Mendham, nor on the possible font at Mendham Priory, or the one at the Nedham chapel].